Couples

This is an atypical day for Jerry Orbach and Messe Martin. Usually episodes concentrate on only one homicide for the cast. Orbach and Martin solve four homicides and a kidnapping.

And the solutions for the most part seem to fall in their lap. One homicide has a talkative perpetrator talk himself into a confession before any investigation is done. Another just rambles on and on in an alcoholic stupor, bit there's just enough information to lead to the right conclusions.

The kidnapping they are alerted to while one of their other perpetrators is using a filling station bathroom to relieve himself and Martin finds a note written in lipstick on the mirror.

But my favorite is the one committed by Judith Blazer on her husband. In broad daylight in front of numerous witnesses, Briscoe and Green catch her running over her husband multiple times with her car. Blazer gets the acting award her, she's truly one whack job.

All in a day's work.

I, like many, have watched numerous Law and Order episodes, but this is truly a standout. The writing and the actors excelled in this particular show due to the numerous odd, and at times, the humorous cases in this one. It was definitely a showcase for Briscoe's timing at one liners, but the Judge stole the show with her line, "You make me proud to be American." Watch it and see.

This is, without doubt, my favorite Law & Order episode.

First, it's unique, in that instead of the usual 1/2 cop and 1/2 lawyer format, the cop side dominates. I guess half the cast wanted some time off. The lawyer side probably did all their work in one day, instead of the usual 5-6 days.

Second, because of it's unique format, it surprises you, and keep you on the edge of your seat, waiting to see the lawyer side of the show. But when they show up, even the legal question is really unique.

Third, while some the of the murders are simple to solve (very unusual for L&O), some are twisted, really twisted.

Lastly, it shows that 'one of those days' happens to cops as well as to the rest of us working schmucks.

The below is not a spoiler, just funny: Last lines in the show:

Detective Green: "We got a jumper."

Detective Briscoe: "I may join him."

A runner was jogging on a park early in the morning. He suffered from a heart attack and he died shortly after. That's the beginning of four different stories:

1-A woman was shot dead near the jogger; she was a laborer who changed her name after running away from her former husband (Otto Sanchez); he had already spent ten years of jail time for her murder, so a double jeopardy could come up;

2-On their round Briscoe and Green noticed a crazy woman run over her cheating husband much to the mistress despair; in the questioning room, the perp quoted Schopenauer before Green;

3-At a gas station toilet, the detectives look a message in the mirror wrote by a kidnapped girl; she is eight months pregnant and her husband is the prime suspect.

4-Forensic chef figures out the runner was poisoned before the jogging by pure nicotine; he's gay and his lover may know something.

An unusual episode, a common day work for Briscoe and Green; lawyers made only a brief appearance, so it looks almost entirely a police drama. Now I understand why they don't have time to raise a family.

Everything you love about L&O is in this episode x100.

1. Twists and turns - Even the opening scene isn't what it seems 2. Lenny Briscoe one liners - Every scene he is in has at least one, sometimes 2 or 3. And they are some of the best and most memorable of the whole series.

3. Ed Green reactions to crazy perps - Ed sometimes gets overshadowed by Lenny's one liners, but in this episode, he gets to shine also. His incredulous reactions to over the top perps are hysterical in this episode.

4. Incredible performances from the guest actors - L&O is known for having some of the best guest stars on any TV show ever. This episode is right up there with Carlos Leon, Judith Blazer, and Fran Leibovitz. I can quote the dialogue between Judith Blazer and arraignment judge Fran Leibovitz from memory, that's how good it is.

5. L&O writers - They have written some of the best crime procedural episodes to ever air on TV. This episode is a master class in writing anstory that keeps you thinking, makes you laugh, and still manages to surprise the viewer after 13 seasons.